Quinton Jackson: “Fighters like Chael Sonnen are ruining the sport…fighters like Glover Teixeira can save MMA.”

Before Jon Jones ever factored into the equation, the UFC’s resident trash-talking laureate – Chael Sonnen – took aim at light heavyweight Quinton Jackson in response to the former champion’s decision to slam the UFC based on how he felt he’d been treated by the organization. “Rampage” wasted little time firing back, saying Sonnen couldn’t “bust a grape” in a fight and was essentially MMA’s version of Propofol in terms of putting fans to sleep.

Sonnen’s elevation to status as top contender based on baiting Jones into a bout rather than earning the honor inside the Octagon certainly hasn’t improved Jackson’s opinion on the outspoken grappler, a point he made clear this week on Inside MMA.

“His mouth gets his him fights. The dude is exciting for like two minutes, but then you just wanna turn down the volume, like, ‘What the hell you talkin’ about?’ He sounds like he practices his stuff in the mirror, and then he goes out and says it,” barked Jackson on the topic of Sonnen earning his way through Mixed Martial Arts with words rather than actions. :”He’s a great wrestler. That’s all I’m gonna say, cause everything else sucks. He can’t punch hard.”

“Look what he did to Anderson Silva. He did a great job holding him down, making a boring fighter out of a decorated champion, for five rounds. After the fight, I see that Anderson Silva didn’t have a mark on him. Not a mark,” Jackson concluded on Sonnen’s skill-set.

While Jackson’s dislike of what Sonnen represents is as clear as the water in a Caribbean lagoon, he hasn’t lost faith in his chosen profession just yet thanks in part to peers like Glover Teixeira who “Rampage” is likely to face in early 2013 before testing out free agency. Though Jackson initially felt Teixeira was talking trash about him as well, his opinion has since changed, resulting in an adversary the PRIDE icon appreciates for embodying what he feels fighting is about.

“Glover’s a tough guy. I like his fighting style. He’s a jiujitsu guy, but he throws it. I respect fighters like him. I think the UFC and MMA needs more fighters like him,” admitted Jackson. “Fighters like Chael Sonnen are ruining the sport, taking people down and just humping on them. Fighters like Glover can save MMA.”

The 34-year old Jackson is currently healing up from a few minor injuries, wanting to be 100% when he returns to the Octagon for what could be his final bout under the UFC banner. He was last seen in February, falling on points to Ryan Bader at UFC 144.

i love Rampage, i know he’s lost a lot of fans and seems a lot of people round here lost faith and patience with him, but i’ll always be a big fan of his, i really hope he beats Glover handsomely, but i don’t see what else is left for him if he leaves the UFC. if he stays in MMA, ONE FC or Bellator is about the only place he could fight, and once Babalu and King Mo are out of the way thats pretty much it.
good luck to him whatever, nice to see him not looking too fat as well

I think ONE FC is the most likely option if he bounces on the UFC (and let’s face it – there’s always the possibility he could change his mind with the right financial inspiration). Anyways, ONE FC has a bunch of money, features PRIDE rules, and would let him fight in Asia where he’s a major star. Pretty good reasons for him to explore that option.